Best Pats Pasta Toss Recipes

CHICKEN PARMESAN PENNE PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Fill a large pasta pot with water and place it over high heat.
• Once the water comes up to a boil, salt it and drop in the pasta.
• Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions.
• Before draining the pasta, reserve a mugful of starchy cooking water, then drain and reserve.
• While the water is coming up to a boil, place a large skillet over high heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Season the chicken pieces with the poultry seasoning, salt and pepper then add it to the preheated skillet.
• Cook the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side.
• Once the chicken is brown, add the garlic and onions to the pan, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and cover the pan with a lid.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes burst open and begin to release their juices, about 5 minutes (if they haven't started to burst open by that time, mash them lightly with a potato masher or wooden spoon). Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
• Add the drained pasta and reserved starchy cooking water (about 1 cup) to the skillet with the chicken and tomatoes, and toss over the heat until combined, about 1 minute.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the basil, arugula or spinach, and cheese.

SIMPLE PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Cook and drain pasta as directed.
• While pasta is cooking, in a large pot, heat olive oil and saute chicken, garlic, salt, garlic powder, basil, and oregano until chicken is cooked.
• Add sun-dried tomatoes and cook for two minutes.
• Remove from heat and toss with pasta.
• Serve with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

NOT-SAGNA PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Heat a large pot of water to boil for pasta. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Heads up: you will need a ladle of the starchy cooking water to help form sauce before draining.
• Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add the meat and break it up into small bits as it caramelizes. Once meat has good color to it, 4 to 5 minutes, add garlic, onions and red pepper flakes and season with salt, pepper, allspice and Worcestershire sauce. Cook another 5 minutes, deglaze the meat and onions with red wine, cook off a minute, then combine about 1/2 cup of stock into the meat. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 5 minutes.
• Place ricotta cheese in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Add a ladleful of boiling, starchy pasta water to the ricotta and stir to combine. Add a couple of handfuls of grated Parmesan to the ricotta and mix it in.
• Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with cheeses. Add half the thick meat sauce to the pasta bowl and combine. Tear or shred the basil and add to the meat and pasta, toss again. Taste to adjust salt and pepper. Serve bowlfuls of Not-sagna with extra sauce on top and more grated Parmesan to pass at the table.

PROSCIUTTO PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Cook linguine according to package directions, adding peas during the last 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, saute garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper in oil until garlic is tender, about 1 minute. Stir in prosciutto., Drain linguine; add to skillet and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

CHICKEN PICCATA PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the chicken to the pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken until lightly golden all over, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and return the skillet to the heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, the garlic and shallots to the skillet. Saute garlic and shallots 3 minutes. Add flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in wine and reduce liquid 1 minute. Whisk lemon juice and broth into sauce. Stir in capers and parsley. When the liquid comes to a bubble, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to the sauce to give it a little shine. Add chicken back to the pan and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss hot pasta with chicken and sauce and serve. Adjust salt and pepper, to your taste. Top with fresh snipped chives.

ITALIAN-STYLE PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl.
• Add tortellini, toss to coat.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Serve immediately with slotted spoon, or refrigerate.

CHEDDAR PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Cook rotini according to package directions, during the last 5-7 minutes of cooking time add peas to rotini.
• Drain pasta and peas, rinse pasta and peas in cold water, then drain again.
• Combine pasta/peas with the next five ingredients. Toss gently to combine.
• In a small bowl combine all of the mayo with the next 4 ingredients and the salt and pepper if using. Whisk together until smooth and uniform.
• Pour dressing over the pasta mixture and stir gently to combine until the pasta mixture is evenly coated.
• Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Overnight is best.

FIVE INGREDIENT PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Combine the olive oil and garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the bow tie pasta and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
• Place the pasta, beans, tomatoes, basil, and 2 tablespoons of the garlic olive oil in a large bowl; toss gently until combined. Serve the remaining olive oil at the table to drizzle over individual servings.